Metzger Nature Center

The Ohio Northern University Nature Center is located 160 miles east of Ada tucked into the hills of Ohio's Amish country near Ragersville and Stone Creek in Tuscarawas County. The center is ideal for nature study and retreats. The center is located on a 70-acre farm in the beautiful rolling hills of Tuscarawas County. It includes a century-old farmhouse, natural springs and streams, dissected sand stone gulleys, mixed mesophytic forests and fields.

The Metzger Nature Center is ideal for educational purposes and group retreats. It provides and is designed as a field station for the biological sciences offering the opportunity for long term research, several days of classes or in-depth observations. Classes in natural history, ichthyology, ornithology, animal behavior, entomology and science education have regularly used the facilities. Specialized weekend classes in various social science areas occur each year. The ONU Archeology Field School conducts archeological 'digs' during May and June on the property and in the region. In addition, co-curricular groups with interests in conservation, nature, natural resources and related objects such as the Outdoors Club find it appealing. Groups as diverse as the Joint Engineering Council, biological & allied health sciences faculty, Ohio College Registrars Association, Student Senate, student affairs staff and members of the university chapel groups are among those utilizing the center on a regular basis.

The property serves as an active arboretum because of the variety and the maturity of the trees. The western Appalachian location of the center provides vegetation and topography that are a dramatic contrast to the glaciated region near the University's main campus.

The department also has the Wetlands Restoration Project located 12 miles from campus. It consists of nearly 300 acres that are being returned to the original habitat of muckland, wetlands, fields and woodlots. The area provides long-term study areas in the till plains of glaciated northwest Ohio.